The Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Bill has been opened for public consultation, with the public given until 6 September to submit their views.

The opportunity for feedback was proposed at today’s meeting of the Committee on Independent Institutions by Fuvahmulah South MP Ibrahim Hussain, who suggested extending the review process to include public input. The proposal was seconded by Kela MP Abdulla Shareef and endorsed by the committee.

The bill, which was accepted by Parliament last week with 49 votes in favour and 12 against, is now under committee review. Lawmakers have set 15 September as the target date to complete their work on the legislation.

If enacted, the law would bring sweeping changes to the regulatory landscape by dissolving the Maldives Media Council and the Maldives Broadcasting Commission, merging their roles into a single body called the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission. The new commission would consist of seven members; three nominated by the President with parliamentary approval and four elected by the media sector.

According to the draft, the commission’s responsibilities would include safeguarding constitutional press freedoms, advising the Government on broadcasting policy, raising public awareness of media rights, and tackling the spread of misinformation. It would also be empowered to impose penalties on organisations or individuals found to be in breach of the law.